Moonlit Beauty
by Elixa Amethyst
Summary: Professor Quirrell before he visits the Black Forest. Quidditch, Davina Aquarius and humour. Why doesn't Quirrell have a character section?
1. Friend Reunited

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**Chapter One  
Friend Reunited**

September 1st, a dry, sunny day for once after the previous two years were plagued with sheet rain. Professor Slatero Quirrell woke in a mood of anticipation. Slatero had taught at Hogwarts for one year, and today marked the second. His aim was to improve vastly on last year's steep learning curve about teaching. There was a soft knock at his chamber door.  
"Slatero, are you up?" A female voice called, muffled slightly. The young professor turned to his mirror, visualised the clothes he required and a click of his fingers later he was wearing them.  
"Come in." He called, straightening his tie and smoothing his academic cloak over his shoulders, giving a hopeless look at the short crop of brown hair that had grown back over the summer. It was never tidy. The oak door opened slowly, and Professor Davina Aquarius put her head round.  
"Thought I'd check." She said with a smile. Slatero saw the reflection of her face in the mirror, the early morning sunlight dancing across it, and turned to greet her.  
"Davina, come in! I was worried you'd miss the start of term altogether!" He exchanged a grin and a hug with his tall friend. He noticed several changes in the Muggle studies professor since their last meeting in early summer before Davina had left to travel the world. She had spent the whole summer travelling, trying to broaden her mind in other fields of magic and studying the co-operation of Muggles and magic folk in many countries. Slatero and Davina had personalities that had clicked from day one, and their friendship had blossomed throughout the previous year. There had never been anything more than colleagues and good friends between them. Davina had invited him to join her on the travels throughout the summer, but Slatero had declined, scared the relationship would go too far and be wrecked. Beside he also favoured studying out of books, must safer.  
"You've cut your hair, and you look... healthier." The Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher commented, taking in her appearance with a sweep down her body and then up it in approval.  
"I've so much to tell you Slatero you won't believe. I've got to report to Albus and Minerva first, explain myself."  
"Alright, I'll see you at breakfast." The young witch left his chambers. Slatero sniffed gently, smelling the faint smell of lavender, or was it apple blossom, something floral. Whatever it was, it was new too.

He made his way down to the Great Hall for breakfast with a smile on his face.  
"Good morning Slatero, Davina popped in to see you too?" He gave a smile at Minerva's comment as he approached the staff table in the virtually empty great hall. Tonight the hall would be filled with students for the sorting.  
"You mean that Muggle fanatic has returned? Didn't she kill herself travelling?" Severus asked, a glass in his hand. Silence followed as everyone stared at the head of Slytherin. He took a sip from the glass in his hand, avoiding eyes. Suddenly he blurted out:  
"For Merlin's sake, I was trying to be sarcastic...!" Slatero raised his eyebrows comically and sat down beside Severus in his normal seat, reaching for a thick slice of brown bread. As he was buttering it, he heard Davina's laugh echo down the corridor outside the hall.  
"I'm serious Miss Aquarius..." Albus was saying, smiling, his cheeks coloured from laughing himself. He didn't look too serious.  
"Well I managed to come back in one piece, so it must mean something." Davina laughed. Albus took his seat beside Minerva and Davina took hers beside Slatero. She slipped her hand beneath the table and gave her friend's leg a squeeze. Slatero smiled and blinked slowly at her, watching her beam round the table, happy to be back. He'd missed her company for sure.  
"I like your hair Davina, when did you get it cut?" Professor Sprout commented, spearing another cube of melon off her plate with her fork.  
"When I was in Bulgaria. I just needed it to be out of my face while I was hiking. It's grown back since, I can just about tie it back."  
"Why don't you use magic?" Minerva asked.  
"I was working around Muggles, I didn't want to take the risk."  
"Did you get your report finished?" Severus asked, peering round Slatero at Davina.  
"Almost Severus, it's almost all written, the last couple of pages that's all. Fascinating the variety of techniques used." Slatero and Davina met eyes and she gave a look that said she'd really missed him. He returned it with a pat on her arm.

"I don't know about you, but Davina looks, well... better. I think she's had a summer full of experiences and she looks better for it." Minerva said to Severus as they watched Davina and Slatero talking. Davina was using grand gestures with her arms, her shoulder-length brown hair dances across her shoulders. Slatero was listening intently, his eyes wider.  
"Slatero looks a bit... stiff doesn't he?"  
"She asked him to go with her, what they call 'cold feet'." Severus explained, recalling the conversation between him and Slatero after Davina had offered him to travel with her. They shared the dungeons to teach in, and for this reason they were on better terms. The younger man had turned to Severus of all people.  
"Slatero was probably wise. If they took it further, we could see a wonderful relationship- as friends- I hasten to add- ruined." Severus raised an eyebrow at his shorter colleague.

"Come upstairs, surely you can leave the menagerie of yours for a while longer?"  
"Menagerie- I'll have you know those animals are prime examples of each species!" Slatero said with a smile.  
"If it makes you any faster, I'll give you a hand."  
"Deal." He said with a smile. They climbed the spiral stairs down to the dungeon classroom.  
"I don't know how you survive down here. Especially in winter." Davina commented, walking behind him with her hands lightly on his hips. He guided her across the room like this, towards a large reptile tank.  
"I missed you." Slatero said softly, turning his head to the right. Davina kissed him gently on the cheek and wrapped her arms around his chest and arms tightly, putting her head against his.  
"Ah, I saw one of these in the wild!" She exclaimed, seeing the lizard move.  
"Name it, get it wrong and you clean him out alone." Slatero challenged.  
"Err... A Sempko, when threatened, sprays a fine mist of sleeping solution of its own. When bred in captivity by dark wizards, they can be transformed to spray other more deadly things and used for malicious reasons."  
"Correct, country observed in?" Slatero asked, their cheeks within a centimetre of each other.  
"Edge of China actually."  
"Liar."  
"Check my report." She challenged in his ear, releasing him from her grasp. "I'll give you a hand anyway." As they cleaned out Silcon the Sempko, the lizard sat across Slatero's shoulders. Davina talked endlessly about her time in China. She and Slatero had corresponded regularly throughout her trip, but Slatero understood a letter could only just touch the tip of the iceberg.

The two young professors spent most of the day with each other, attending the mid-afternoon staff briefing. Davina had bought presents back and surprised Dumbledore with a living portrait of the Niagara Falls. The sun rose and set and the weather and seasons occurred, For Professor McGonagall, an all-seeing eye. A glass ball with what appeared to be a cat's eye inside. Davina explained it would watch the class if she looked down for a while, or turned her back. For Severus, she gave a Bulgarian Quidditch whistle for when he refereed the house matches. Last season he'd complained about being ignored (and took points off for it), but with this whistle he could silence the whole stadium, if not the Hogwarts grounds. She gave other things to further members of staff, and finally she reached Slatero. She revealed a peace orb to him.  
"Need to test it with you though, it worked with me... Severus, could you possibly assist in this experiment?"  
"With pleasure." Severus cleared his throat, looked straight at the Defence against the Dark Arts teacher, "Slatero, I don't think I've seen such idiotic behaviour towards a woman before. If everyone knew about what you were asked-."  
"Severus!" Slatero snapped, and Davina handed him the ball. The effects were instant.  
"No offence meant, partly." Severus gave a slight sneer, enjoying the fact he'd got something on Slatero.  
"What was he going to say anyway?" Davina asked as she sat down beside Slatero.  
"I don't know."  
"You looked angry."  
"I jumped to conclusions." Slatero replied before Minerva called the staff briefing together.


	2. Starting as They Mean to Go On

**Chapter Two  
Starting as they Mean to Go On**

Charles Weasley, or Charlie as he was known to most was head boy this year, following in the footsteps of Bill, the eldest brother. He and his younger brother Percy would be joined by Weasley twin brothers this year. The two eldest Weasleys were very much head boy material, and were a pleasure to teach. Slatero was three years older than Charlie, having left and returned after a year away studying with the likes of aurors. Davina was the same age as him, joining the staff the same year. Both of them had only expected a temporary placing, but had been asked back for another year.

Slatero and Davina were put on station duty with Hagrid. The night air was oddly bitter as the three of them walked down. Slatero wore a Cossack style fur hat in an effort to hide his hair.  
"You'll just get hat hair!" Davina laughed as he came out to the gates to meet them.  
The train was on time as per usual. The station master stood with them, a pocket watch in one hand, staring down the track. Behind him were a team of house elves and the horseless carriages.  
"Seventeen, sixteen..." Slatero noticed his friend staring at the moon.  
"Clear night, despite the wind." He commented.  
"Thirteen, twelve..." The steam of the Hogwarts Express appeared over the trees and the scarlet engine came into view, slowing for the station.  
"Seven, six..."  
"Goin' t' be on time, I don't know why 'e counts." Hagrid sighed, holding the lantern up higher, well over their heads.  
"Three, two, one..." The train halted and the carriages bumped gently, sending a wave of clanks up and down the train. Doors were flung open into the darkness along the platform, students piling out.  
"First years this way!" Hagrid called over the milling mass of heads. Davina and Slatero got on the train at the front and worked their way through the compartments with the elves following them, taking bags and trunks off the train. Something black flew out of the third compartment down. Slatero quickly identified it as a bat, and was off in pursuit.  
"Honestly!" Davina sighed in mock indignation. There was a crash from further down the train. Davina pulled her head out of a compartment and looked down the corridor. She guessed Slatero had run into a student while capturing the bat. By his triumphant grin on finding his feet, she took her guess to be correct. He held a huge bat in his hands.  
"Fruit bat, not Vampire, but puzzling why it's inside and here."  
"I just hope it didn't enter too suddenly." Davina commented. Both of them knew a sudden entry into a dwelling, or perhaps even a train, signified the death of an occupant.  
"Either that or it signifies good weather." Slatero inspected the bat and held out one of the wings.  
"What are you going to do with it?" Davina asked, eyeing the bat sceptically before checking the next compartment.  
"Keep if of course." Slatero replied, deep in concentration inspecting the wing.  
"I thought it was a fruit bat."  
"I'm hardly going to keep a live vampire bat am I, so this will be a worthwhile teaching aid." Slatero said, tapping the bat with his wand. It vanished. Davina didn't ask. They finished checking the train and station then apparated to the gates with the statues of winged boars and hopped up on the back of the last horseless carriage.

Davina and Slatero found their seats (Slatero once again beside Severus) at the staff table. Dumbledore smoothed his robes down as he gazed across the decorated great hall. Each house table was nearly full, students sat before golden plates and goblets lit by the floating candles. Slatero took his hat off and Severus stared at his hair. Davina started laughing. The Defence against the Dark Arts teacher stared from one professor to the other.  
"What?" He demanded. Davina stood up and started to untangle the shrunken bat from his hair. As she worked at it, the doors of the Great Hall opened, and silence fell. Rather than leave Slatero with the bat, Davina kept going. Minerva lead a long line of first-years to the front before the staff table.  
"Weasleys..." Severus muttered, seeing the two identical twins walk jauntily up the hall. McGonagall placed the hat on the three-legged stool and soon it broke into song. Davina finally freed the bat from Slatero's hair and it escaped from her hands, the spell wearing off. It shot up towards the enchanted sky. Attention was turned from the hat, to the bat....  
"For Merlin's sake you two." Severus muttered, drawing his wand, but before he could do anything the bat exploded, sending a shower of coloured lights out.  
"Bravo Severus." Albus said, the sorting hat finished its song and the hall clapped. Slatero noticed, as Severus protested his innocence that Charlie was glaring at his twin brothers.  
Minerva seemed unaffected by the bat and proceeded with the large scroll of parchment in her hands.  
"Oh bloody hell, put the hat back on." Davina hissed. Slatero shoved the hat back on, wishing silently that he didn't have hair at all to worry about.

The sorting proceeded in much the same fashion as before following that mishap.  
"It must have been the." Davina whispered to Severus and Slatero as McGonagall called:  
"Weasley, Fred," and the first of the twins sat down on the stool. All previous Weasleys has been Gryffindors. The sorting hat pronounced Weasley  
"GRYFFINDOR!" Almost immediately; Fred hurried to his table to sit with Lee Jordan, their dreadlocked friend, to watch his twin's sorting.  
"Weasley, George," The second of the twins sat down on the stool and once again the hat shouted "GRYFFINDOR!"  
The two Weasley twins were reunited and also with their families. Dumbledore stood.  
"A most lively and entertaining sorting, I must say, now, time for the feast." Dumbledore clapped his hands and the plates filled. The happy chattering returned.  
"There isn't anyone else who has pulled a stunt like it." Slatero agreed. Severus frowned at them, and then sneered.  
"One lesson with me and they'll regret that bat."  
"Who would that be Severus?" McGonagall asked, sitting down the other side of him. The head of Slytherin declined to reply.  
"What was it doing in here anyway?" Minerva asked, serving some pork onto her plate.  
"We brought it off the train." Davina replied. Slatero looked at her oddly.  
"It was me who brought it in here Minerva, it was a fruit bat." He admitted. Minerva just nodded, smiled slightly and said:  
"Like the hat." Slatero blushed and stared at his plate. He knew the underlying message.  
"It's not that bad, honestly." Davina sympathised. Her friend gave a slight smile and busied himself with the food.


	3. Cold Feet

**Chapter Three  
Cold Feet**

"Did either of you two play Quidditch?" Minerva asked suddenly.  
"Chaser." Davina told her.  
"Bit of a beater... I suppose." Slatero admitted, remembering the last time he'd played, hitting the ground after being hit by a bludger. Not a pleasant memory.  
"Good, you'll find out later." Severus gave a rare smile, which looked sinister all the same.  
"Looking for more referees or something?" Slatero asked.  
"Not exactly." Severus said. Davina and Slatero exchanged looks.

When the feast ended, Dumbledore stood up and the hall silenced.  
"Welcome to a new term at Hogwarts. Welcome especially to the new students and to our new head boy, girl and prefects. Before I tell you about a new addition to our calendar, I'll remind you that the Forest in the grounds remains out of bounds. Mr Filch, caretaker would like to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors. Anyone found breaking these rules will be dealt with accordingly.  
Now, onto Quidditch. This year we will be running the house tournament as per usual, but the heads of house have been discussing plans for something else this year which will probably prove most entertaining. Over to Madam Hooch." Near the end of the staff table on the opposite side to Slatero, Davina and Severus, Hooch stood and beamed at the students.  
"This year you will all be invited to several staff Quidditch matches." There was murmuring amongst not only the students. "We've yet to finalise the teams, but we hope you'll attend the matches and cheer on your favourite members of staff." Severus gave a sneer. It was doubtful anyone would be cheering from anywhere but his house for him. "Each head of house will captain their team." Hooch continued.  
"You two are taken, so don't get tempted." Severus warned quietly.  
"You haven't seen him on a broom Severus." Davina hissed.  
"He has actually, so shut it." Slatero hissed at her, elbowing Davina in the ribs. She returned it with a glare.

Slatero walked Davina back to her chambers that night, well after student curfew.  
"I really did miss you." He told her.  
"I don't think I've missed anything more." Davina blushed. She kissed him on the cheek.  
"Same for me." She said, there was a pause and then they kissed on the lips. Slatero broke away a few seconds later. He felt wrong. Davina looked slightly bemused.  
"We can't." He told her, staring downwards.  
"You understand don't you?" There was a long pause, Davina holding both his arms just above the elbows. It was dark and the moonlight barely penetrated the room.  
"Yeah..." She said, almost whispering, she rubbed his arm and closed the door, leaving him standing in the corridor alone.  
"Cold feet still?" The soft dark voice of Severus asked. Slatero's forehead met the wall, his back to the older man.  
"How long have you been standing there?" He asked.  
"Enough to see the door close." Slatero turned and saw Severus leaning against the opposite wall. The sharp potions master looked approachable.  
"She still wants to be more than friends."  
"That's clear. Drink?" Slatero nodded thankfully and followed Severus down to his quarters.  


"Why are you so scared to go further?" The head of Slytherin asked, sat on his desk while the younger teacher who also taught in the dungeons sat on the chair, facing away from him at right angles. Slatero removed his hat.  
"I'm scared, I do admit it. Cold feet is probably right, trouble is, she keeps asking, hinting, and I'm... I'm just fickle in that department.""  
"I take it you mean the affairs of the heart and not the study of Muggles or otherwise?" Severus remarked with a hint of a smile.  
"Of course."  
"As you know, my... shall we say... skills on this subject are rather limited, but in the interest of the team-."  
"Staff generally or are you referring to your Quidditch team?"  
"Both. I am prepared to help sort the problem out." Slatero looked up at the senior professor's face, several feet above his in thanks.  
"How you managed to attract someone as beautiful as Davina is beyond me with that hair." Severus added, finishing his drink, signifying the end of the conversation.

September 2nd was surprisingly cloudy. Professor Sinistra reported the clouds arrived at about midnight when she had been stargazing. The heads of house were distributing timetables to their houses. Davina and Slatero sat awkwardly, pretending to concentrate on who they were to teach first and not the previous evening's actions.  
"Seventh years for a double lesson. I dread to think how many years' knowledge they've forgotten." Slatero sighed, breaking the silence between them.  
"At least the previous year's work." Davina agreed, looking at her timetable. She had generally smaller classes and didn't have to teach first and second years had the added bonus that with any luck the pupils would be interested (as they'd chosen to study it). It meant four classes less on average than Slatero, and Severus, who both taught compulsory studies.  
"I shouldn't think your subject was that important with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named gone."  
"There are still vampires, trolls, boggarts, werewolves, ogres, pixies, sprites, yetis..."  
"Werewolves?"  
"Yes, a werewolf's bit is a serious risk..."  
"Vampires, honestly, you're teaching ancient stuff!" Davina exclaimed.  
"And in that case, why do you think its compulsory and Muggle studies is entirely optional?!" Slatero exclaimed, prodding Davina on the nose before she bit into her piece of toast.  
"Professor Quirrell?" A student's voice interrupted. Slatero turned his head quickly, retracting his finger. Davina bit into her slice of toast with a crunch.  
"Mr Ginsing." A seventh year Gryffindor stood by the table, looking uncomfortable.  
"I've got a lesson with you first thing, but I haven't got my book, have you got any spares? I'm really sorry, it's just it got snatched." Ginsing explained, his hands knotted before him in nervousness.  
"I may have a spare, although they were reprinted in the last few years... What do you mean snatched?" Slatero demanded suddenly.  
"Some Muggles at Kings Cross, there wasn't anything I could do."  
"Err... Slatero..." Davina said, having finished chewing. She handed him the Daily Prophet. He scanned his eyes down, picking out the words "School book causes mayhem in the Muggle world."  
"Ginsing...!" Slatero raised his voice. "Headmaster's office- now!"


	4. First Lesson

**Chapter Four  
First Lesson**

A determined walk later, Slatero and Isaac were approaching Dumbledore's office. The gargoyle jumped aside as the words  
"Chocolate truffles." from Slatero. Dumbledore's latest favourite. He forced Isaac to walk before him up the stairs. There were voices coming from inside the office, but Ginsing knocked.  
"Come in." Albus called. Inside the office was Arthur Weasley. He introduced himself before Dumbledore could.  
"Nearest department available Professor Quirrell, Arthur Weasley, head of Misuse of Muggle Artefacts." They shook hands, Slatero slightly suspicious. Another Weasley... he thought reminded of the bat the previous evening.  
"Isaac Ginsing, owner of the book. I only just got to hear this morning, so please excuse me if I'm behind the times." Arthur nodded at Slatero's introduction of the student.  
"Isaac, please explain how the book came to be snatched." Dumbledore asked. The seventh year sat down, pale faced and nervous. Slatero folded his arms and stood to one side of Isaac.  
"We'd forgotten to buy it, so my mother hurried off to Diagon Alley to fetch one. She managed to bring it all the way to the station, but she tripped, and the book flew up in the air. I didn't know it would grow wings and teeth! A Muggle made a run for it and grabbed it in his bag. That was the last we saw of him, and the book." Isaac trailed off. Arthur picked up.  
"The book then bit anyone who looked at it. The Magical Reversal Squad and the Muggle Task Team have both been deployed to help." He filled in for Slatero.  
"What book was it?" Dumbledore asked.  
"Elvin Wolf's Defence Against the Darkest Arts, a Guide to Ultimate Protection for the Seventh Year. It was reprinted this year, or even last year, and I considered it more up to date and useful than last year's book. I had no idea it was capable of such things. I've had my copy for almost six months." Slatero refolded his arms, his discomfort showing as his mouth twitched at the corners.  
"Last report they were still after it. The Literature and Education Offices have gone to visit the author. They wish to repossess the whole batch." Arthur carried on.  
"You're joking! As long as they are not thrown into the sky, I don't see why we should bother immediately. It could be a one off. My own copy is fine!" Slatero summoned his own copy to his hand, it popped gently onto his hand from the air. He held it out to Arthur Weasley, who declined.  
"I'll be back later. Until then, I wouldn't use the books." He gave his regards to Dumbledore and left.  
"Have the two of you eaten?" Dumbledore enquired. Isaac nodded.  
"Yes Professor."  
"I'll survive." Slatero answered, ignoring his semi-empty stomach as the bell rang to end breakfast.

Minutes later the young professor had descended the spiral staircase to his classroom, and had passed Silcon the Sempko without even bidding him good morning. He sat at his desk, scribbling notes down. He could hear the seventh years approaching down the stone steps outside the door. Charlie Weasley was first through the door.  
"Come in and sit down quietly." Slatero called, scribbling more down, referring to a page in the book with a frown on his face. Suddenly he snapped it shut and realised Silcon was staring at him through the glass of his tank. He sighed, retrieved a giant locus from a tank behind him and dropped it into the tank with the huge lizard. Two minutes of frantic scrambling, Silcon was happily feasting on the locus. A couple of female Gryffindors were looking disgusted at the Sempko. Quirrell raised his eyebrow as if to say "What? It's natural!" to them and they busied themselves with their books. The Professor sat back down at his desk overlooking the class and opened the register. As he called the names of the class they looked around themselves at the familiar classroom, with the odd bat, to the huge cauldron by the desk and the tanks of animals. Silcon was eyeing up a couple of the students before curling up to sleep. The nearer of the two Gryffindor girls to the tank shuffled towards her friend, staring at Silcon. Slatero was oblivious to the behaviour and continued to call the names. He paused at:  
"...Ginsing, Isaac..." Hearing no answer. He looked up, and saw a student hurry through the door.  
"Sorry Professor." Isaac apologised, sitting down quickly. Slatero carried on until the end. ("...Weasley, Charlie...") the head boy answered and Slatero put down his quill. He cleared his throat, glancing at the giant lizard, now asleep and then back to his class he began.  
"This may sound absurd, but under Ministry instruction, we are strongly advised to handle the books you require this year carefully, and not to throw them in the air." The Slytherins began to laugh, pointing at Ginsing. Slatero cleared his throat again and continued explaining. "If it wasn't for Mr Ginsing's incident, several of you could have had limbs bitten off by now." He put the register on the shelf behind him, stretching back.  
"Read pages one to five of your textbook and then make notes. You can ask questions if you have problems. It should be revision. Please answer the questions on the board to finish. Mr Ginsing please fetch a spare copy from me." Isaac got up and walked to where Slatero now was, by a tall bookcase. The Slytherins were twittering behind Isaac.  
"You were late because of Dumbledore?" Quirrell enquired. Isaac nodded.  
"They caught the book they think." Slatero nodded and handed a battered copy of the last print run to Isaac.  
"Should be the same." He told him, and saw that no sooner was the book in the student's hands, it lurched, pulling him across the classroom. Slatero removed the curse with a flick of his wand. He then had great pleasure in watching Mr Burke, a Slytherin grin at his friends who burst out laughing. The rest of the class followed, pointing at Burke. With a smirk, Slatero summoned a mirror and Burke saw his face and hands had been stained purple.  
"That is what happens to those who curse books in this classroom. The effects last twenty-four hours. Madam Pomfrey will not remove it, she knows it is a punishment. You'll have to suffer." The Gryffindors, especially Isaac thought it was hilarious.  
"To work everyone, come on." The young Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher called, waving his wand over the board for the questions.

Severus Snape was a slave driver when it came to Quidditch. He'd recruited Slatero, Davina, Sinistra, Vector, Kettleburn and Filch to his team. They were assembled late evening after Slytherin Quidditch practise, two weeks into term.  
"You all know how competitive the students are during their games. That is precisely how all of you should be several times multiplied. Slatero- you and I- beaters, Davina, Sally (Sinistra) - Chasers, you too Argus. Tzana (Vector) - seeker, Nicholan (Kettleburn) - Keeper." Davina looked determined, concentrating on every word Severus spoke. Slatero glanced round. Sally Sinistra, astronomy professor, was tall, thin with long dark hair. Tzana Vector, arithmancy professor, was shorter, black hair, large square glasses, thickly built, but light. Nicholan Kettleburn, care of magical creatures professor, was the veteran, probably almost a last resort. He had a fake leg from the knee down and appeared to lose limbs each year.  
"It was him of Trelawney." Severus told him later as they smacked bludgers across the pitch in the growing darkness. A cheer was carried across by the wind as Davina 'scored'. Above them, Tzena Vector was practising feints.  
"What's the enemy like?" Slatero called.  
"Nothing. Minerva has a team with the combined ages of her house ghost by three times, Sarah Sprout has a load of soft things like Sybill, Fillius is the only enemy to speak of." He glanced at the horizon, seeing the sun finally disappear and blew his whistle. Davina wasn't wrong about its strength when everyone peeled their hands off their ears they heard Severus announce the end of the practise. They trooped to the broomshed and then up to the staff room.


	5. Quidditch

**Chapter Five  
Quidditch**

"Match fixtures all of you!" Hooch chirruped handing them all copies as they stepped inside the staffroom. Each staff team was grouped together, pouring over the fixtures, some looked up to see the "Slytherin" team arrive from practise, eyeing them up.

The first match was Ravenclaw students verses Gryffindor students. The following day it was the same for the staff teams. This first match was in a week's time. The weekend after it held the Slytherin-Hufflepuff matches, students on the Saturday, staff on the Sunday. Following that was a month's break for the student matches. The staff however continued the very next weekend, with Hufflepuff vs. Ravenclaw, then the following weekends after that held Gryffindor-Slytherin, Ravenclaw-Slytherin, Hufflepuff-Gryffindor, so that the staff tournament was thick and fast so as to be finished before Christmas with any luck. Eventually when the student tournaments which ended sometime in the second term, were over, the winners from each tournament would play, students verses staff. Severus appeared to be strongly aiming for Slytherin staff verses Slytherin students.

There were no further reports of flying and biting books by Elvin Wolf, which meant the Ministry of Magic left the books to Slatero and his classes finally. Even the first years this term were progressing smoothly. Davina made few further advances on the young defence against the dark arts professor, a slight distance between the two friends. Quidditch practices became much more frequent, the team turning out in rain or shine. That along with the spying on the staff Ravenclaw team out of the Slytherin Quidditch tower on the pitch late at night made up the most of the free time the staff had. Slatero was having trouble keeping up with his marking, as Severus Snape is a difficult person to say no to.

The student match between Ravenclaw and Gryffindor was fast and furious in the October air, Gryffindor winning when Charlie Weasley caught the snitch when the points were level. The following day the staff teams were on the pitch. Professor Dumbledore watched with the remaining staff as Madam Hooch supervised Minerva and Fillius shaking hands and then started the game. A huge cheer erupted from the Ravenclaw stand as the staff scored after thirty seconds.  
Gryffindor staff fought back, McGonagall scoring soon after. Several fouls were called by Hooch. The most spectacular action of the game was the astrology professor, Gryffindor's keeper, being knocked off her broom by a bludger into the sand at the base of the goals. Unusually the game was stopped immediately by Hooch, not something she did with the students, and the fact was noticed by many of the students who called out from the stands. Luckily the keeper wasn't hurt and got back on their broom to continue play. Ravenclaw won, Fillius catching the snitch when his team was behind. Severus increased training.

Friday morning, the day before the Slytherin student match, Davina picked at her food at breakfast. She had a gaunt look on her face.  
"Are you nervous about Sunday?" Slatero asked. Davina looked up at him suddenly.  
"No, not at all. You?"  
"I can't help being nervous." Quirrell gave a smile. Davina didn't return it. She continued to look ill through to Saturday afternoon, when halfway through the Slytherin-Hufflepuff student match she told Slatero she was going back to rest, as she felt unwell. Slatero offered to go with her, but she insisted against it. When she didn't turn up for dinner, Severus questioned Slatero on her health. Their first match was less than twenty-four hours away.

After dinner Severus and Slatero left the building to discuss the conditions and Davina. The night was cool and the moon was full, illuminating the grounds and the Quidditch pitch. As the two wizards walked across the grounds, what looked like a huge dog ran from the pitch to the forest. They both stopped dead. The wind swept round them.  
"Wolf?" Slatero asked, reaching for his wand within his robes. The forest was full of them, but they rarely ventured out.  
"Legitimate or animagi..." Severus started.  
"Werewolf." Slatero finished. A cloud obscured the moon sinking them into darkness.  
"Lumos!" They both commanded, holding their wands out.  
"It's gone, back into the forest. We'll inform Dumbledore of the restlessness when we return." Severus said. "If it's a werewolf, we can't risk it attacking students."  
"True. I didn't get a good enough look to see if it was. Davina said she saw wolves on her travels." Slatero said suddenly.  
"She better be well enough to play tomorrow!" The potions master growled.

"Davina? Are you awake?" Slatero called through his friend's door. There was no reply. He put his ear to the wood, the cool hit his ear with some surprise. His hand rested on the handle, and a small turn found it to be open. Cautiously he looked round the door and saw the chamber was empty. He walked into the empty room, bewildered. Perhaps she was in the hospital wing, Slatero considered, spotting a parchment left on the empty table. Grasping it, he read:

_Dear Slatero, Poppy and Severus._

_Don't worry about me being ill, I recognised it as a reoccurrence of something I caught travelling, and I'm at St Mungo's where they've got the antidote. It doesn't look like I'll be back for Quidditch, more like Monday morning. Please explain this to Albus. Good luck for the Quidditch._

_Davina_

Severus went off to find a sub to replace Davina, Slatero went to Dumbledore.

"Good evening Slatero, looking forwards to tomorrow?" Albus asked as the young teacher came through the door to his office.  
"Evening headmaster. Not so much since we're one player down."  
"Davina not well?"  
"As far as we know." He handed over Davina's note. Dumbledore peered through his half moon spectacles.  
"I'll send an owl to St Mungo's to check she's well." Slatero gave a nod. The headmaster had the pensive on his desk, the grey clouds swirling. Slatero looked from it to the headmaster.  
"Yes... interesting news. Harry Potter had shown signs of being magical again. It'll only be three years until he's studying here.  
"That soon headmaster?"  
"Albus Slatero. Besides you only call me that when tense." Slatero looked stunned.  
"Really?" He exclaimed in disbelief. The wise old wizard chuckled, drawing a grey strand from his temple into the pensive. Slatero saw Davina and him standing together for a second before it too swirled in with the rest.  
"Good night headmaster." Slatero said, turning for the door. When he'd gone, Dumbledore smiled at the young man's behaviour before writing to Davina. No one noticed the owl circle the school once and then land on her windowsill.


	6. Moonlight

**Chapter Six  
Moonlight**

The game against Hufflepuff went moderately well. Hagrid the gamekeeper joined the team, after much persuasion (or threats) from Severus. The half-giant was put as a beater, where Severus normally was, to accompany Slatero. Severus took Davina's place. Three times Hagrid and Quirrell almost collided. The fourth time they did collide, just as the snitch was caught by Vector. Slatero went over the back of Hagrid's broom as his own broom went under. He somersaulted into mid-air. There was a gasp from the crowd, and Slatero felt himself choke as Hagrid grabbed the back of his robes. Blue faced and a minute later, he was back on his broom and the team was celebrating a win.

The staff scores put Slytherin and Ravenclaw neck and neck, in the tournament with Gryffindor behind and Hufflepuff after them. Tension in the staff room was building already. Slatero thus decided to remain in his dungeon classroom for the lesson break on the Monday morning. He was preparing a practical, looking into the huge cauldron beside his desk as he sniffed at the garlic soup. It wasn't bad. He waved his wand and soup vanished, the garlic smell hanging in the air. He went to collect the garlic in the store cupboard that one of the house elves had delivered. As he turned away from the cupboard, towards his desk, he saw Albus Dumbledore sat on top of the front row of desks.  
"I didn't hear you arrive..."  
"Understandable, I have been sitting here most of the lesson." The younger professor's eyes widened.  
"Not on the desk, but further back invisible you understand?" Slatero gave a nod, drawing closer.  
"Can I ask why?"  
"You seemed pre-occupied at breakfast. I assumed it was the absence of Professor Aquarius, and I thought I'd sit in to see how you've improved in the last year. I'm pleasantly surprised." Albus smiled.  
"Thank you Headmaster." Slatero replied nervously.  
"Davina has returned, but I've confined her to her chambers. She doesn't look at all well." Slatero put the string of garlic down on his desk with a bump.  
"I should visit her. I might be able to help."  
"All she needs is food and rest. Garlic soup for the second years yes? Go on, I think I can cope." The young teacher smiled at the comment. He left the garlic on the desk and hurried up the spiral staircase to the ground floor as the bell rang for the start of the lesson.

Davina did look terrible. Her eyes looked sunken into her face, and her close hung off her, indicating a dramatic loss of weight. She sat at a table in her chambers, picking at the food a house elf was serving for her.  
"Slatero, you have lessons to teach!" She exclaimed in a weak voice, raising her eyes from their dark sockets. It looked like she'd been beaten up and starved rather than have taken a trip to St Mungo's for health care.  
"Are you any better?" Slatero asked, blinking several times at his friend.  
"Sort of. It always does this to me."  
"What is it?" Slatero enquired.  
"They don't know, but as far as they can tell, it isn't infectious. Why don't you sit down, so I don't have to look up quite so much?" Realising his frosty appearance, Quirrell sat down opposite his best friend at the oak table.  
"You're going to recover though?" He asked quietly. The house elf bowed and left the room. Slatero noticed the curtains were drawn, the room was shadowed.  
"Of course... Do you smell garlic?" Davina suddenly asked. Slatero opened his mouth to say it was him, and then realised the smell was far too strong to just be the lingering of the soup he'd conjured in the break on his clothes. He bolted to the door, visions of garlic soup flooding his dungeon pushing almost everything out of his mind.

The second years looked happy enough as they sat over cauldrons, practising spells to turn one head of garlic into soup ready to be used in defence against a vampire (and mosquitoes as Davina had mentioned previously.) The scent of garlic was still strong, but as Slatero found, all of them were safely looking at garlic soup within their pewter cauldrons.  
"Professor Quirrell, I trust everything is in order?" Dumbledore asked from beside one of the cauldrons, bubbling merrily.  
"Fine, fine..." Slatero replied quietly, embarrassed by his panic.  
"Alexis just made an extra strong soup by using the whole string, the smell must have drifted up I take it?"  
"Indeed." Slatero replied as he crossed the room with his hands clasped behind his back beneath his academic cloak, doing his best to hide his embarrassment.

Slatero returned to Davina's room in the evening. She was sat at her dressing table, combing her dark hair that he noticed was lacking in it sumptuous shine. Despite that, it was still beautiful, and Davina herself was beautiful. He took the brush from her hand and continued to comb her hair. Stroke after stroke, the hair gently began to regain its shine and he smiled at the result. Davina sat quietly, her eyes closed and a contented look on her face. It was most peaceful. Slatero stopped combing and gazed at her face. Eventually his hand came to rest on her shoulder and her eyes opened gently.  
"Don't leave me alone tonight Slatero..." She whispered, a tear falling from her eye, cascading down her cheek, bony with her illness. They young man watched her reflection. She turned her head and he looked down at her face, wiping away the tear with his hand.  
"I promise." He replied softly.

Moonlight of a dying beauty cascaded through breaks in the velvet curtains hanging from the rail above the six-foot high window, a door to the heavens. The lady of the moon danced across the dressing table, over the comb, over bottles and boxes she danced, leaping lightly onto the stool, reflecting in the mirror. A gentle breeze caressed the edges of the curtains, animating the moonlight's dance towards the bed across the Persian rug laid out across the bare floor.

From where he lay, Quirrell watched the dance, admiring the beauty and sensual touch as it continued to dance up the bed, towards his feet, protruding from the soft covers and then across to a silent tune to the sleeping form of Davina. He had promised not to leave her that night, the choice natural, sympathetic. As he studied the way the lady of the moon waltzed over the curves of his best friend's body, he reconsidered his feelings for Professor Aquarius. Was she still just a friend?


	7. Sunlight

**Chapter Seven  
Sunlight**

Early morning brought the solar dance to replace the lunar. Slatero dressed, and left Davina a note about his departure so she would know when she woke from her slumber. Silently he left her room, closing the heavy wood door behind him. It was far too early for students, and even staff, but Slatero crept along the corridors, dimly lit by the dawn light. The birds were singing merrily in the grounds, some owls were already returning with parcels and post, stopping in the owlery before the breakfast delivery. Slatero stole a gaze across the grounds, admiring the buildings and the reflection of the dawn colours in the lake in the south. He heard voices and looked back down the corridor.  
"Surely someone else has noticed...?" A female voice enquired, coming towards the Professor.  
"I needed to ask him about the homework last night, so now it's only partly finished." A second female voice complained.  
"It wasn't that hard-."  
"You were in the lesson though!" Two first year students came into view. They were heading for Quirrell's pigeon hole, when they saw him, they stopped dead.  
"P-Professor Quirrell...!" The second girl exclaimed.  
"Good morning. It's very early for you two to be out of Hufflepuff house isn't it?" He placed it as a question after seeing their school robes had the yellow house crest with a badger. "Did one of you require some time to ask questions?" Cautiously the smaller girl who surprisingly reminded Quirrell of Davina raised her hand.  
"Very well, I suggest you return to your tower," he told the second Hufflepuff, "And we will proceed to the classroom."

It was a five-minute walk down to the classroom, Jemima kept close behind him as he led her through two secret passages and descended the spiral staircase down. The room was dingy and several animals woke at the early morning arrival, including Silcon the sempko who rolled onto his side, scratched his stomach and rolled back to watch. The student and professor sat down at the front desk after Slatero lit several of the candles. Jemima seemed nervous to be sat next to a professor alone. It was daunting for the first year.  
"Now, which questions are you struggling with?" He asked kindly, noticing her discomfort. Jemima unrolled her parchment.

Davina came down for breakfast, still looking a bit gaunt.  
"Are you teaching lessons today?" Quirrell asked, with a concerned look on his face. Davina nodded.  
"I'm fine before you ask. Thank you for last night." She put her hand on his leg under the table, and he placed his hand on hers, giving it a squeeze. They exchanged smiles.

At morning break, Slatero met Filch, fuming just outside his office where a terrible smell hung in the air.  
"Don't tell me the smell is a new cleaning product? Good grief, that's terrible!" Filch shook his head, his face had turned a colour resembling beetroot.  
"Weasleys…" He husked, cracking his bony fingers.  
"The twins?" Slatero asked.  
"They let of a bomb just here. I'll haul them in for a right going over." Argus was looking off down the corridor in the direction Slatero assumed the twins had gone.  
"That's two of us now they've crossed. Severus appeared keen to sort them, but it appears he hasn't." Filch gave a nod. Normally punishment enforcers were Filch and Snape hand in hand.  
"About time we reintroduced detention in the dungeon-."  
"You're wanting Severus and I to deal with them?"  
"No. I'm referring to students hanging from their thumbs." Argus gave a grim-looking smile.  
"Don't remind me of the screaming. I'm still glad I avoided detention." Slatero replied, remembering many students falling to that fate.  
"It'll have to be something like that…" Argus said and left Slatero, returning to his poky office with the filing cabinets.

"Just the man I want to see!" Severus caught Slatero making a hasty return to his dungeon before a staff meeting that evening.  
"Really?" Quirrell asked, slightly shocked at the sudden request.  
"Quidditch moves learn the formations off by heart and we'll flatten Fillius's side with ease. Have you spoken to Davina? We don't want to have Hagrid again."  
"I have, why don't you ask her at the meeting. She was disappointed to be so unwell she couldn't play." Severus gave a nod, studying Slatero oddly.  
"I better get my things for the meeting, excuse me." The younger professor explained, and hurried down the spiral staircase to his classroom, breathing a sigh of relief as he escaped.

"Any other matters?" McGonagall asked across the table the staff were sat at.  
"Er. Yes." Hagrid called, unsure. He glanced round, saw that he had been heard and leant forwards, placing his huge elbows on the table heavily. "We've got a werewolf coming into the grounds. I don't like to have to kill 'em, but its got very close to the castle. I'd like to ask permission to… er… destroy it?"  
"Are you sure it's not just a wolf?" Albus asked.  
"Slatero and I have seen it Dumbledore, although we did not see it for long, it is confirmed that it was near student areas." Severus spoke from one end of the table.  
"Very well, if you do sight it again at full moon, please try and get a positive identification." Slatero glanced at Davina who was looking rather pale again.  
"Are you alright?" He asked quietly. She nodded, as if shaking it off.  
"Fine, I'm fine." She reassured him.

"Davina- Quidditch practise- don't forget to come. We need you to play against Fillius's team. Slatero will no doubt make sure you get there…" Severus said with a grin as he passed the two of them.  
"Of course Severus. I wouldn't miss it for the world, I'll do my best not to be ill again." The potion master gave a slight smirk and a nod and left the staff room in a swoop.  
"He's really serious about beating Flitwick's team." Slatero told Davina, after they'd watched Snape leave.  
"I was gutted when I couldn't play, hopefully you won't be catapulted over his broom, as I'll be the Chaser instead of him. I'd like to beat Fillius, I must say." She gave a smile which told Slatero she was scheming.  
"Just be careful, you're still not completely through your illness."  
"Oh, I'll be alright- don't worry about me." She went to pick a hair off his jacket, one which Slatero suspected wasn't even there and then left with a smile.


End file.
